Re: IP Security Cameras

[Matt Ion <soundy106@xxxxxxxxx>]

FishyThoughts wrote:
> New kind o' network job landed in my hands;
> I'm helping a client put an IP camera in each of his stores;
> 3 don't work & 3 do (1 just needed to reset the camera & port after a
> power failure).
>
> The remaining stores have ATT/ma bell's netopia routers (setting into
> bridge mode),
> which drop over to linksys routers; non-wireless 4 ports w/ a wan i/o.
> The prior tech hadn't requested a block of static IP's, which I just
> did Friday, after a LONG run-around to confirm that I was an
> authorized person to modify the account....
> _____________
> This is where I need help;
> Now I need to poke a hole thru the linksys,
> to allow the camera(s) to send out to the net, using a new static IP.
>
> Any hints, warnings, or provisos would be greatly appreciated!
> Thanks kindly!
>   Amanda


All you should need to do, is forward the appropriate port to the
camera's IP address on the LAN.  You can do as Frank suggests, and set
the camera as a DMZ (demilitarized zone, where it's basically wide open
to the world), but most simply use a built-in webserver for remote
access, so all you generally need is port 80.

What you might have a problem with, is if your ISP blocks port 80 (some
do, at least on residential lines), or if something else in the company
(such as a standard webserver) is using port 80.  In that case, most
routers will allow you to forward one outside port to a different inside
port... so, for example, you could tell the router to forward port 800
on the WAN, to port 80 on the camera's IP.  Then you'd just add a ":800"
to the web address of that store's hostname (for example,
http://branch1.some-store.com:800)

On the other hand, if the cameras are set to PUSH their feeds out, you
shouldn't need to do anything on most routers, as they don't generally
block outgoing connections unless specifically told to do so.

The other consideration, if you need to connect in to the camera from
outside, is that you don't want your camera's LAN IP changing randomly,
which I've seen some Linksys routers do.  Most times, it should never
happen, but some routers' DHCP servers have a "static IP" feature
(really, it's a reserved IP) that will let you assign a specific IP to a
specific machine in perpetuity.  Barring that you can always hard-code
an IP on the camera, giving it an address outside the router's pool
range (ie. if the router's DHCP is set to assign client IPs from
192.168.1.50 to 192.168.1.100, set your camera at something like
192.168.1.101).